Monday, December 31, 2012

Books read in Nov-Dec 2012

Just a note for me: Books read in Dec

With Me: Relational Essentials for a Discipleship Ethos – Lance Ford
One of: Beginning the Missional Journey – Gregg Nettle and Alex Absalom
Released: The Power of Everyday Christian on Mission - Matt Carter
Grow: Reproducing Through Organic Discipleship – Winfield Bevins
Disciples Who Make Disciples: Turning Your Church Into a Multiplying Movement – Gregg Nettle
Unleader - Lance Ford
Promise Me This - Cathy Gohlke

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Men of Sunday


Men of Sunday
How Faith Guides the Players, Coaches, and Wives of the NFL
By Curtis Echelberger
Published by Thomas Nelson



I’m not one who follows football all that closely, but since we are in the middle of football season, I thought this would be an interesting read.  Interesting book, but bad choice for me.  I don't know most of the many players and managers mentioned in the book, and for that reason found it hard to stay interested in the book.
But for someone who follows football, there is an incredible number of football players and managers covered.  Given the lack of media coverage on the role faith plays on football teams, players and coaches, I was pleasantly surprised to find an amazing amount of detail on the role of faith and on the religious attitudes and lifestyles of many of the players and their families.

However I do have a caution in reading the book, especially for those whose love of football and the players could blind them to some of the questionable statements that are occasionally made. One obvious one is on page 37 where Washington Redskins safety Oshiomogho Atogwe is responding to the questions of seriously injuring an opponent when it may not be necessary.  He says we don’t want to put the game above the lives of the people He created. However, he then says, “But he has called us to play this game 100 percent without fear or hesitation to His glory, and as long as we do that within the rules, I believe that in His eyes He is pleased with what we are doing.”  The catch in this statement is by what rules is Atogwe playing.  The rules he refers to are the rules of football, but if they are applied in a wooden way, without judgement, then following the rules will violate the biblical requirement to love your neighbor.  There seems to be one set of rules used for football, and another for before and after the game.

That said – if you love football and are wondering how faith is lived out in the lives of the players and their families, this would be a good easy read.

(I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)

Tuesday, August 28, 2012




Good and profitable read but not great literature:

Mondays With My Old Pastor 

by Jose Luis Navajo

                            
“Old age is like climbing a large mountain. The higher you get, the more tired and breathless you become, but your sight becomes more free and the view more extensive and serene.” Igman Bergman

An unnamed retired pastor was such a man who from the top of the mountain was able to bring encouragement at a time when Evangelical Pastor Navajo was burned out and disillusioned and ready to quit the ministry.  At his old pastor’s insistence, Pastor Navajo visits the dying pastor for a number of weeks over which 15 encouragements are given to him.  These encouragements bring new life and renewed vision to Pastor Navajo and his wife and will also bring much encouragement to the reader.

Although I profited a great deal from the book and would highly recommend it, it fell short as a good work of art.  I found the book often excessively sweet and sentimental. The author tried to make the book read like a novel, but it was choppy in it’s genre as it often came through as non-fiction.

At the end of the book (don’t read ahead!) the fifteen principles are summarized, and I will probably extract them for regular review. Jose ends with
“During the night, a person asks a thousand questions. … But morning finally comes and the sun restores everything to its rightful place. Then we discover that the grotesque shadows at night that seemed like arms of a skeleton were only branches laden with fruit, and that empty blackness that seemed like an abyss in the darkness was a well of crystal-clear water willing to refresh us.”

 Overall a great book, I would give the book 4 stars out of 5

(I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)